Finance
Redditors Targeting Silver Poised to Propel Solar-Panel Costs
- Solar panels account for 10% of global silver demand
- Silver prices have surged to eight-week high since last week
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Silver’s Reddit-inspired surge to a nearly eight-year high could reverberate across supply chains from solar manufacturing to coin-minting if it holds.
The critical metal is used in such a wide variety of products and goods that a sustained run-up in prices would have implications across entire sectors, especially the energy transition. Because of its conductivity, silver is a key ingredient in electronics like printed circuit boards and solar panels. It’s also used in everything from bandages to hospital paints. To what extent each industry will be affected depends on how long the rally lasts.